


Angel School

by remanth



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Destiel hints, Gen, Pre-Slash, School, caring older brother, fighting training
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-12
Updated: 2012-11-12
Packaged: 2017-11-18 11:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,764
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/560613
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/remanth/pseuds/remanth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Castiel is the angel most picked on because of his wings. It only gets worse when Zachariah is his teacher for fighting. Gabriel explains why Castiel is important.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Angel School

Castiel was the smallest angel in school. He had always been, for as long as he could remember. When he was younger, he would always run to his older brother Gabriel, who would hug him and tell him he was ok. The other angels always taunted poor Castiel and tried to rip his feathers out. For Castiel had black wings and no one had ever seen that before.

On the first day in high school, Castiel stood next to his older brother Gabriel and looked fearfully up at the white brick building. Gabriel was a senior and graduating this year while Castiel was just entering school.

"Relax, little brother," Gabriel said softly. "Everything will be ok." He patted Castiel's back just above the base of his wings and Castiel was comforted by the touch. Gabriel had never made him feel like his wings were wrong. Never made him feel like he was wrong.

"I hope so," Castiel whispered back. The bell rang and he walked inside to face the angel who was going to be his teacher for the rest of the year.

"Welcome, class," Zachariah said loudly. He was a tall, slightly chunky, older angel with a fringe of gray hair. His brown eyes surveyed the class haughtily. "Freshman year is a time for changes and new challenges. You are going to learn how to fight from me this year."

Castiel gulped at that. Fighting for him meant cowering in a little ball while the other angels kicked him and pulled out his feathers. He hunched his shoulders in fearfully and just watched Zachariah.

"I'm going to show you the moves and then I'm going to assign you into pairs," Zachariah continued. "You will spar with your partner and get used to the movements until it is ingrained in your muscles and you no longer need to think to fight."

He pulled out a scroll and read off the names. Each angel raised their hand as their name was called. When Castiel's name was called, he raised a shaking hand in the air and Zachariah looked at him. Heart sinking, Castiel saw the normal look of disgust and anger over his black wings in Zachariah's eyes. In a moment, the teacher's eyes dropped and the last few names were called.

Snapping, Zachariah cleared the room and all the younger angels were standing around the edges. The older angel cleared his throat and then flowed through a series of movements. Castiel could see how each one was designed to hurt or block enemies and grew excited despite himself. This looked like something he might be able to do.

"Now that you've seen the forms," Zachariah said, not even breathless, "I'm going to pair you up." He snapped and the scroll appeared in his hand. He read of random names and the angels moved to stand next to their partners. Finally, only Castiel was left standing by himself. Zachariah looked up and his lip curled into a scowl.

"I suppose I'll be your partner," he said unenthusiastically. "Since we have an odd number in the class." He glared at Castiel as if it was somehow his fault then snapped out orders for the class to line up and practice.

Castiel moved to one corner and tried to make his limbs move as smoothly as he could. He could feel Zachariah's glare on him as the older angel moved to watch.

"No, no," Zachariah snapped, gripping Castiel's wrist hard and moving his arm into a new position. "This is where your arm should go. If you did what you were doing earlier, you would have been killed by a blade through your throat. Again."

The lesson continued with a short pause for lunch. Castiel was thoroughly disheartened by the end of the day and fighting back tears of pain and sadness. Zachariah was a... demanding and rough teacher, correcting each mistake with a callous slap or tight grip.

"Well, with your wings, I don't suppose you'll be doing much of this anyway," Zachariah said nastily at the end of the lesson. "Really don't know what Father was thinking. Black wings?"

Making his way home without waiting for Gabriel, Castiel curled up in his small room and cried. He hadn't been given any homework that day and fell asleep with the tears drying on his face.

\-----------------------------------------------

Gabriel was busy this year, busier than he'd ever been. The last few things he needed to learn to perform his duties were crammed into his head and Gabriel swore he never had time to breathe. He wondered how his favorite little brother Castiel was getting on, though, and resolved to check on him now that a month had passed and he'd fallen into a routine.

Spotting Castiel walking slowly home after school, Gabriel hurried up to him and beamed at him.

"Hey, Cas, how ya doing?" Gabriel asked brightly. "Enjoying learning how to fight?"

"No," Castiel said tersely, hiding one side of his face away from Gabriel. His wings drooped tiredly, the feathers mussed and broken. He hadn't bothered taking care of wings like he used to. Zachariah seemed to derive a sadistic pleasure from hurting his wings while training.

Studying Castiel, Gabriel realized that something was deeply wrong with his little brother. The angel walked slowly, head down and wings actually dragging on the ground. Castiel wouldn't meet his eyes nor turn his head to face him.

"What's wrong?" Gabriel asked, his voice going gentle with concern.

"It doesn't matter," Castiel replied flatly. "I just need to learn and get through this year."

"Yes, it does Cas," Gabriel insisted, moving to stand in front of his brother. He couldn't stop the gasp that escaped his lips at the spectacular bruise that decorated Castiel's cheek and trailed down his jaw. Gabriel stopped Castiel's walk with both hands on his shoulders and waited until his brother's tired eyes met his.

"Who did this to you?" Gabriel asked, anger spiking through him. Castiel just watched him, making no sound. "Please, little brother, you need to tell me. They just can't hurt you like this."

"Zachariah is my sparring partner," Castiel explained. "He is training us and he is not a patient instructor." Castiel gave his wings a shake, trying to settle them into a more comfortable position. He hissed as a few strained muscles complained.

"All right, you're coming with me and I'm going to take care of your bruises and your wings," Gabriel said decisively. "And then Zachariah is going to hear from me."

\----------------------------------------------------------

Once he had Castiel sitting on his bed, Gabriel moved into his bathroom to grab towels, clean water, and some witch hazel. He came back and sat down in front of Castiel, looking sadly at the bruise on his face. Dabbing at it with the witch hazel, Gabriel could see it already start to fade a bit. He wiped gently over it one last time and smiled at Castiel.

"Time to fix your wings, little brother," he said, knowing how Castiel liked his wings to be preened. He made Castiel turn and spread his wings out as far as they could go. Once he did, Gabriel felt his heart sink again. So many feathers were bent and twisted and some were even missing. Castiel's left wing couldn't stretch out as far, the muscles obviously strained.

"I'm so sorry," Gabriel murmured. "If I had known how he was treating you, I would have stepped in before now." Castiel shrugged, the movement causing his feathers to rustle quietly.

"It's only a year," Castiel said quietly. "I can deal with it until then. And it's really no different than what the other angels did to me. This is just all at once." Gabriel made a disbelieving sound but thought back over all the times he'd saved Castiel. It did make a sad sort of sense.

Gently running his fingers through Castiel's feathers, Gabriel straightened and cleaned the feathers. He brushed his hand over the pinions, easing the strain in the left wing's muscles. Castiel sighed in relief and his body went limp, finally free of the pain. Gabriel continued to run his fingers through Castiel's feathers, smoothing and easing more of the pain away.

"Thank you," Castiel whispered, voice hoarse with gratitude and unshed tears. "You're the only one who's never treated me any differently. Never thought I shouldn't have been created by our Father."

Gabriel wrapped his arms around Castiel's waist and hugged him tightly. He let his grace brush over the smaller angel and show him love and affection.

"That's because Father shared part of his plan with me," Gabriel whispered. "I know how important you are, little brother."

"I'm not important," Castiel snorted, but hugged the arms wrapped around him. "I'm just a small angel with black wings."

"If you keep it a secret, I'll tell you why you have black wings," Gabriel said. "And why you need to learn fighting as best as you can." Castiel turned in the embrace to look at Gabriel with wide, hopeful eyes.

"I'll keep it secret, Gabriel," Castiel promised fervently. "Please tell me why."

"It's because when you are older, you are going to rescue a man from Hell," Gabriel said quietly. "You're black wings will allow you to hide from the demons there so you can find him."

"Hell?" Castiel squeaked, fear in his voice. "I can't go there. I won't be able to hear the rest of you there."

"I know, Castiel," Gabriel soothed him. "But you will hear the sound of the man's soul. He will draw you to him and you will raise him from perdition."

"Why do I have to?" Castiel asked, curiously.

"Because he is the Righteous Man and he will save all of us," Gabriel said. "And he and his family will give you the family you should have here." Castiel thought about the for several minutes, his face curious and thoughtful.

"What is his name?" Castiel finally asked.

"His name is Dean Winchester," Gabriel replied. "And he is a good man. You will never have to fear with him." Castiel nodded happily and felt exhaustion flow through him as he finally let all his fears go.

"Then I will work hard," he promised. "So that once I save Dean Winchester I can keep him safe."

Gabriel chuckled as he felt Castiel nod off to sleep and shifted so they were lying on the bed. He brushed hair off of Castiel's forehead and said, "You are probably the best of us, little brother. I hope that hunter realizes it when he meets you."


End file.
